Tree Lopping & Pruning on the Central Coast

What tree lopping and pruning on the Central Coast actually involves

People say lopping; the rules say pruning. SafeWork NSW lists both as tree work without defining either, Council defines pruning by the Australian Standard AS 4373-2007, and each of Council's pruning exemptions requires the work to follow it. Dead branches are the plainest reason to call: Council lets them be pruned without a permit, to the standard, and asks the owner to keep before-and-after photos for six months. Branches directly over the roof of an approved house can also be pruned without a permit, whatever their thickness.

Power lines and the wire to your house

Owners may not trim near Ausgrid's lines, and work within 3 metres of them is left to workers the network accepts. The wire from the street to your house is another matter. If your own tree grows into it, clearing it back to your boundary is your job; if the tree is Council's or a neighbour's, Ausgrid clears it. Where the power has to be off for the work, you engage an Accredited Service Provider to isolate it.

A neighbour's branches over the fence are not yours to cut on your own say. Council says you can apply for a permit to prune them back to the boundary, and recommends talking to your neighbour first; branches directly over the roof of your approved house are the exception. Council treats neighbour disputes as a civil matter; the Land and Environment Court can order work under the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 once you have tried to agree. Community Justice Centres stopped mediating these disputes in July 2025.

Tree Lopping & Pruning on the Central Coast — common questions

Can small prunings go in my green bin?

Yes, if you are east of the M1 and the lid still closes: the green-lid bin takes prunings, twigs and branches. Bigger wood goes out in one of six free bulk kerbside collections a year, with logs no wider than 30 centimetres.

Are palms and Norfolk Island pines treated differently?

Palms can be. Cocos and Phoenix palms are on Council's Undesirable Species List, so removing one needs no permit, though the landowner keeps photos and an arborist's written record for six months. Norfolk Island pines are not on the list, so the ordinary rules apply to them.

How much does pruning cost?

This site doesn't set prices. Your provider quotes after seeing the tree, but you can check the first thing yourself: a light trim inside Council's allowance of 10% of the foliage, on branches no thicker than 50 millimetres, needs no permit and so no permit fee.